09/02/2026
Please come see Gallery Splash's new exhibit for September: Otherworldly by Kristen Carleton, Sept 1 - Oct 6, 2026. Meet the Artist/Live Painting on Saturday, Sept 19 from 10 am - 4pm; Townships of Township of Esquimalt's Story Fest is at Memorial Park that day, so come meet Kristen before or after your visit! This is also the day after our Esquimalt Lantern Festival -- September is going to be busy and too. much. FUN!
Artist Statement
Born and raised in Alberta (circa. ‘84), I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with Distinction from the Alberta University of the Arts (2009), before becoming a certified Usui Reiki Master in 2015. During 2018, I moved to Vancouver Island and later completed a Post-Graduate Masters Diploma in Art Psychotherapy at the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy (Hons. 2025). As owner of Lightwork Arts & Lightwork Art Therapy, I combine fine art with personalized therapeutic energy paintings, art therapy, and Reiki as an integrative practice centered on authentic human connection.
As a plein-air abstract expressionist, I paint/play intuitively using fluid, watercolor-inspired acrylic techniques without an easel. My process balances spontaneity with intention, allowing rhythmic, organic forms to emerge through curiosity, observation, and decades of developing an unconventional approach.
My work explores recurring themes of light, perception, vulnerability, courage, emotional freedom, growth, balance, and connection. Each painting serves as a visual diary shaped by mindfulness, nature, memory, and lived experience. Rather than prescribing meaning, I invite viewers to discover their own - allowing each piece to evoke reflection, emotion, and personal insight. Whether through painting, art therapy, or energy-work, my purpose remains the same: to foster agency, confidence, self-discovery, and meaningful connection. My hope is that every audience maintains autonomy in what they see and feel, sustaining a visual familiarity and fresh encounter upon each glance to meet every viewer where they are.
[email protected] | lightworkarts.ca
